Founder Cao Yinmiao of Mountain Residence Catering Group: Conservatism is the foundation, innovation is the complement.

Ask AI · Cao Yinmiao’s shift from big meals to small dining—how to balance tradition and innovation?

On March 25, the 2026 China Catering Industry Festival and the 35th HCC Global Catering Industry Expo, jointly hosted by the World Chinese Cuisine Industry Federation and Hongcan.com, were held at the Hangzhou Convention and Exhibition Center. During the roundtable discussion at the “2026 China Catering Category Development Forum,” Cao Yinmiao, founder of the Shanju Catering Group, shared her views on issues related to “category innovation.”

△ Cao Yinmiao, founder of the Shanju Catering Group

Cao Yinmiao previously worked in big-meal dining, and later shifted to small dining, launching the Hangzhou Ban Chuan brand. She said that because the marketing, R&D, and branding teams are at different age stages, what younger people think is good may not necessarily be recognized by older people in the R&D department, leading to internal bargaining and debate. She noted: “Usually when people above 45 say it’s really good, we’ll cut most of it.”

Regarding innovation, she shared two directions using Ban Chuan as an example:

First is seasonal innovation. Focusing on Hangzhou chili beef, adjust the offering based on ingredients from spring, summer, autumn, and winter. For example, during the toon-sprout season, make toon-sprout stir-fried beef. You can innovate repeatedly across all four seasons.

Second is localized innovation. She believes the brand should pay attention to young people’s preferences at the moment. For example, if the team finds that young people like sour, sweet, and spicy flavors, then they’ll wonder whether there are products that can be used as a topping.

However, Cao Yinmiao emphasized: “Preserving tradition is the foundation, innovation is the complement. No matter how it changes, it still stays true to the core—making adjustments by staying around Ban Chuan and around Hangzhou chili beef.”

When it comes to iteration at the store level, Cao Yinmiao believes self-iteration is equally important. “Being eliminated by the market means being eliminated by customers. So Ban Chuan is also constantly correcting itself; areas that aren’t done well need continual improvement and repair.”

Author: Hongcan Editorial Department